Couple Found Guilty of Gross Negligence Manslaughter of Their Baby

A couple who went on the run with their newborn daughter have been found guilty of her manslaughter by gross negligence. Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, were convicted on Monday following a lengthy and chaotic retrial at the Old Bailey. The judge accused them of trying to 'sabotage' and 'derail' the trial. The case dates back more than two years when the decomposed body of their baby, Victoria, was discovered in a shopping bag in Brighton.

They were earlier found guilty of concealing the birth of a child, perverting the course of justice by not reporting her death, and of child cruelty. The recent conviction of manslaughter by gross negligence indicates that the jury believed their behavior was exceptionally bad and fell below the standard of competent parents. The prosecution argued that Marten and Gordon had deliberately put Victoria in danger, leading to her death from hypothermia or being smothered while co-sleeping in harsh conditions.

The couple had gone on the run to avoid authorities and keep Victoria with them, as their other four children had previously been taken into care.